What do you get when a poet says they’re not really a poet, then proves they kind of are? You get Five Minutes from a Meltdown — a cheeky, offbeat, ridiculously entertaining mashup of punchline poetry and snarky cartoon fun. David Meyer isn’t trying to change your life. He’s trying to make you laugh out loud on a Tuesday afternoon. And he succeeds.

Right from the “this is not poetry” intro, Meyer sets the tone. No grand metaphors. No deep soul-searching. Just a parade of bite-sized poems, full of dad-joke energy, wry observations, and perfectly timed nonsense. The humor is sharp but not cruel, smart without being full of itself.

Each piece is like a mini comedy sketch. Some land like a classic stand-up punchline (“I’m the Next Great Supervillain” is a Teflon-coated jab at comic logic). Others are warm and weird, like the running gag of clueless parents and chaotic kids — see “Kids Like the Darndest Things” or the painfully real “My Biggest Fear, Ask My Exes”​.

There’s a rhythm to the madness. Meyer plays with line breaks like a DJ dropping beats — awkward pauses, mid-sentence shifts, a lot of “wait, what?” moments that make the final line hit harder. The structure keeps you guessing, and that surprise is half the fun.

Now add in Mark Hill’s cartoons. They’re goofy in the best way — expressive, exaggerated, and full of that Sunday-paper charm. Each one is like a punchline’s wingman, jumping in with a wink and a smirk to make sure you get the joke. It’s not just poetry with pictures — it’s a tag team of absurdity.

This isn’t a book for your English lit professor. It’s for anyone who loves a good laugh, a clever pun, or needs a mental break from the world being on fire. Lighthearted, self-aware, and just the right amount of unhinged — Five Minutes from a Meltdown is like comedy comfort food. You’ll flip through it in a flash. You’ll quote it at brunch. You might even leave it on your coffee table, hoping guests pick it up and laugh.

Pages: 96 | ASIN : B0DK5P76RH